PPA Ida Prefecture
Session: 15th Riigikogu, 5th sitting, press briefing
Date: 2025-04-23 16:41
Participating Politicians:
Total Speeches: 10
Membership: 15
Agenda Duration: 14m
AI Summaries: 10/10 Speeches (100.0%)
Analysis: Structured Analysis
Politicians Speaking Time
Politicians
Analysis
Summary
The information hour’s nine questions focused on the personnel problems and crime situation in the Police and Border Guard Board’s (PPA) Eastern Prefecture in Ida-Virumaa. Member of the Riigikogu Aleksei Jevgrafov highlighted before the Minister of the Interior Igor Taro the high number of registered crimes (violent crimes, drug offenses) in the Eastern Prefecture’s working area, as well as Estonia’s largest vacancy (49 missing officials), which poses a threat to response capabilities. Jevgrafov asked the minister for specific solutions to improve the situation. Minister Taro acknowledged the exceptional challenge of Ida-Virumaa, referring to both the high level of crime and the complex problem of finding personnel, highlighting obstacles related to language skills and background checks in recruitment. As a solution, the minister mentioned the additional funds allocated to the Academy of the Ministry of the Interior and the Narva practical base, which should help train more police officers.
In a clarifying question, Jevgrafov focused on the salary of police officers, suggesting that the minimum wage should be significantly higher (at least 600 euros more) and that an additional 200 euro bonus should be added for employees working in remote areas. Minister Taro refuted the claim that salary is the main motivator, emphasizing the mission-critical nature of police work, but confirmed that the ministry is aware of the salary problem. He noted that inflation has nullified the effect of previous salary increases and that the ministry has made calculations to go to budget negotiations with salary component requests, while also emphasizing that the real possibilities for a salary increase depend on the country’s financial limits.
Finally, Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart posed an additional question about the PPA’s number recognition camera network, which takes millions of pictures per month. She doubted the system’s legal basis and potential conflict with the constitution. Minister Taro explained that this is not facial recognition technology and that the data is strictly used for the detection of serious crimes, access is limited and under internal control. He added that the network has largely developed on the initiative of local governments and the need to modernize the legal space is being investigated.
Decisions Made 1
Decisions were not made.
Most Active Speaker
Aleksei Jevgrafov, who raised two substantive questions regarding the Ida prefecture vacancy and the salaries of police officers, directed the main focuses of the discussion. (muu)
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Riigikogu member Aleksei Jevgrafov poses a question to Interior Minister Igor Tarole about the East Prefecture of the Police and Border Guard Board.
Aleksei Jevgrafov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
In his presentation, Jevgrafov stressed that the East Prefecture's high and rising level of registered crime (in relation to violence and drug offenses) requires swifter response and more thorough investigation, because 49 police officers are unavailable and each day the prefecture must dispatch 27 patrols, of which 12 are incomplete, which raises the question for the Minister of the Interior of how to resolve the situation.
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
Ida-Viru County is a major challenge, according to Interior Minister Igor Taro, due to the level of crime as well as staffing, language proficiency and background checks, and other constraints. As a solution, the training of additional police officers through the Estonian Academy of Security Sciences and the use of Narva practice bases are seen.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked and asked Aleksei Jevgrafovit to pose a clarifying question.
Aleksei Jevgrafov
Profiling Fraktsiooni mittekuuluvad Riigikogu liikmedAI Summary
The speaker emphasizes that police officers' gross salary of 2350 euros must be raised to motivate highly educated, pro-Estonian specialists and to reduce Ida-Viru County's largest vacancy, noting that peripheral-area allowances do not solve the problem, and recommending increasing the minimum wage by at least 600 euros and 200 euros for peripheral areas, and asking the Minister of the Interior about the intention and deadline of the wage rise.
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
Interior Minister Igor Taro confirmed that additional funds will be allocated to the Internal Security Academy and the Police and Border Guard Board to address personnel problems, stressed that the main motivation to become a police officer is helping people, not just salary, acknowledged the impact of inflation on salary issues and the need to find additional funds through budget negotiations related to taxes, and noted that internal security is of particular importance in times of hybrid threats and requires greater attention.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Chairman Lauri Hussar thanked and announced that a supplementary question would be posed by colleague Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart.
Anastassia Kovalenko-Kõlvart
Profiling Eesti Keskerakonna fraktsioonAI Summary
The presenter claims that the Police and Border Guard Board has created a nationwide license plate recognition camera network, through which about 20 million pictures are taken every month, and that it lacks an adequate legal basis and transparent information about people, and asks the minister whether he still supports such a network, despite having previously said that he does not support and does not intend to create a police state.
Siseminister Igor Taro
AI Summary
Igor Taro confirmed that a preventive surveillance network and facial recognition technology have been created, which are used to a limited extent for the detection and solving of serious crimes, the data are not stored indefinitely and access to them is very limited, and the cameras are mainly installed at the initiative of municipalities, and if necessary the legal framework is updated.
Esimees Lauri Hussar
AI Summary
Speaker Lauri Hussar thanked for a substantive information session, recalled the importance of the Constituent Assembly that gathered on 23 April 1919 and the adoption of the Estonian constitution, and invited everyone to celebrate together the 106th anniversary of the Riigikogu through the Riigikogu Open Doors Day on Saturday.